<p>National Honor Society Essay </p>
<p>As I look back at the past three years of my high school career, there were so many struggles that almost forced me to give up on my goals and ideals. However, instead of being brought down by hardships, I chose to endure these struggles. Now I’ve changed, I believe that this is why I’ve been chosen as a potential candidate for National Honor Society. As an international student, I have lived in three different countries — Taiwan, China and finally the United States. Living abroad has helped me to gain not only knowledge in various fields but also allowed me to have foresight. Furthermore, it makes me a more independent and responsible individual through various circumstances. I feel obligated to utilize my gifts in a program as prestigious the National Honor Society.
As a potential candidate of National Honor Society, it is to my understanding that character plays an important role in obtaining membership. Upon my arrival to Chapel Hill High School as a sophomore, I came to the realization that although I had start off later than my peers, I still had all the right reasons to give it all I had and to show the world that I could be successful no matter what.
The process wasn’t easy. In fact, it took several hours a day for me to catch up with the work that I’d missed in freshman year. I put a lot of effort into my schoolwork and have challenged myself with many advanced courses. Many of my friends asked me why I was taking AP courses as a sophomore or the fact that I took honors English class even when English wasn’t my first language. Now that I have possessed my own variety of study skills and habits, I found myself helping others who have similar backgrounds. I know exactly how hard it would be to move across continent and to start everything all over again.
One of the advantages of being able to travel so frequently is that you could be a volunteer overseas. Being a volunteer abroad not only broadens my views but also gives me the honor to improve our global community. However, despite the positives of volunteering abroad, volunteering sometimes can be extremely time consuming and physically demanding. I travel to many developing countries such as Thailand, Cambodia, rural areas of Taiwan and Vietnam at my own cost and time to help the local villagers and children. I spend 8 hours a day over the summer on teaching the younger generation Mathematics and English since many of the places I go to do not provide sufficient education opportunities. During my free time, I visit live-alone seniors and help villagers with some easy farm works. The only payment I receive out of all this is the pleasure and self-satisfaction of helping others.
Being raised in a very traditional Chinese environment, I was a person who would blush and stutter if asked to speak in front of a few strangers. I had gone through several practices and hardships to achieve what I had got today. I got third place in Japanese speech contest within my class and not too long ago, I was nominated to represent the class for the North Carolina State Speech competition. Now I find it difficult to narrow down the many instances where I’ve showed great leadership skills. I have given countless lessons to younger students and have led some major events at the Chapel Hill Senior Center.
I may not be the smartest or the brightest student but I am a survivor, that is — a survivor who, after many struggles, makes the right choice. I want to prove myself to the community that I’ve possessed the qualities of scholarship, leadership, service and character. My ability as a well-rounded person will be extremely beneficial to National Honor Society.</p>
I really don’t think you want to emphasize how you’re so great and you deserve to be included in NHS. Emphasize the different strengths you can bring to the table, but don’t state it in such an arrogant way.</p>